Revisiting Milan Kundera’s Slowness

?Life needs to be savored. In his first novel written in French, Slowness, late Czech-French author Milan Kendera analyzes life through the lens of a man who sees beauty in slowing down above all else. Through alternating narratives of a modern-day couple and an ancient love tale, Kundera critiques the speed that has begun to strip everything of its meaning.

The novel begins with a scene of a couple in a car stuck in traffic on their way to a special evening at a high-end, vintage hotel. The husband, the story’s narrator, contemplates the haste of the drivers around him, who cannot spare even a few minutes of patience. This miniscule thought is then used as a springboard for discussing the speed that has overtaken everything — and how, somewhere along the way, human pleasure fell victim to it. Kundera’s narrative oscillates between this modern couple and the story of a noble knight that spent a fleeting, romantic night with his lover, Madame de T, an aristocrat in 18th century France.

Kundera links the concept of slowness to memory. A person who does not rush what they do is more capable of retaining memories, whereas speed is essentially cause for forgetfulness. Despite being written and published in the ‘90s, the novel acutely represents the toils of our modern-day lives. We’ve become so accustomed to endless, ephemeral content, yet voices are increasingly rising in appreciation of a quiet and slow life. Younger generations see the speed that has become part of life as the primary enemy of mental health — one that needs to be countered with slowness.

One of the approaches Kundera presents in this novel is his use of running and driving as starting points for understanding the impact of speed and technology on our psyches. The author suggests that the act of running is actually an act of slowness despite what we may think. He argues that running takes a person outside the boundaries of time, and heightens one’s connection to one’s own body and mind.

The invention of wheels (and cars) deprived humans of this practice, and increased their impatience and desire to reach their destinations faster, nothing more. It’s not surprising, then, to see the culture of participating in marathons and the like spreading among younger generations — in Egypt as well — as an attempt to take back control, slow down, and reconnect with life. Slowness — despite a few potential flaws — remains a pivotal, short read — at just 120 pages — that resonates with the reality of generations suffering as they try to catch time before it slips through their fingers.

WHERE TO GET IT- You can place a special order for the paperback version from The Bookspot. You can also get the ebook from Amazon, and listen to the audiobook on Storytel. The Arabic translation is available at Aseer Al Kotob.